By Marci Piltz
Record-Courier staff writer
A Ravenna Township couple was sentenced to prison Friday on charges of selling the powerful painkiller Oxycontin.
Carlos Brown, 77, of 4712 Hayes Road, was sentenced to 10 years in prison while his wife, Brenda, 54, received a five-year prison sentence. Both were sentenced in Portage County Common Pleas Court by Judge Laurie Pittman.
Prior to sentencing, both Carlos and Brenda Brown apologized to the court and their families for their actions.
"To my grandchildren that have now lost their home, I apologize. To my daughters, the trouble and embarrassment this has caused ... and to Brenda, who has been a loyal companion. We've been together for 31 years, and I'm truly sorry for getting you involved in this situation," Carlos Brown said.
He then appealed to the judge on behalf of his wife and himself.
"Your Honor, Brenda and me are not bad people. We just made bad choices," he said.
He explained that a car accident led to his being prescribed Oxycontin, and the drug soon turned into an addiction for him.
"My habit was costing me $3,600 a month. I found out I could buy them wholesale and made the wrong choice again when I began selling them to pay for my habit," he said. "I tried to quit, but they were controlling my life."
Both of the Browns were arrested following a raid on their Hayes Road home in July by the Portage County Drug Task Force. Indictments totaling almost 70 pages on each were filed the same month charging them with selling the drug from their home between May 1 and July 16.
Carlos Brown received the following sentences, all to run consecutively, from Pittman: A three-year mandatory sentence on one count of aggravated drug possession, a first-degree felony; two years each on three counts of aggravated drug trafficking, all third-degree felonies; and one year on a fifth-degree felony charge of permitting drug abuse.
His wife received a five-year prison term consisting of the following sentences: A three-year mandatory sentence on one count of aggravated drug possession; two years each on two counts of aggravated trafficking; and one year on permitting drug abuse. Pittman ordered Brenda Brown's two-year and one-year sentences to run concurrent to each other but consecutive to the three-year sentence for a total prison term of five years.
Both Carlos and Brenda Brown pleaded guilty Oct. 29 to several felony counts related to the sale and possession of the powerful painkiller.
As part of their plea and sentencing, the Browns also were ordered to forfeit their Hayes Road home as well as all electronics, vehicles, tools, machinery and weapons that had been found there. They also were ordered to forfeit more than $90,000 cash that was recovered from the home. The couple was permitted to keep two rental properties they own as well as personal effects such as clothing and jewelry.
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